CLEVELAND, Ohio — The former Ohio Bell building will be welcoming its first residents early next month.
The Bell Apartments at 45 Erieview is finishing up its renovations on more than 360 units prior to the Aug. 1 move-in of its early residents. The complex is centrally located near the Galleria on East Ninth Street just minutes from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
According to Cross Street, a Chicago-based company that handles leasing, marketing and other services, just under 10% of Bell Apartments’ units have already been leased. This is the company’s first venture in the city.
There is a sizable commercial space on the first floor that could be home to a restaurant or other business in the future.
Bell has one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts. Sizes range from 600-800 square feet for the one-bedrooms while the two-bedroom, two-bathroom units are over 1,200 square feet.
A bedroom in a one-bedroom unit at the Bell Apartments.Megan Sims, cleveland.com
A kitchen in a unit at the Bell Apartments.Megan Sims, cleveland.com
A bathroom in a one-bedroom unit at the Bell Apartments.Megan Sims, cleveland.com
Though varying in size, each unit features in-unit washer and dryer, hidden dishwasher, central air and heat, a walk-in closet among other features, and some have a north-facing view of Lake Erie.
“We started leasing on July 1,” Oren Pollack, vice president of sales for Cross Street, told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. “We’ve had a lot of interest, it’s been very well received. The amenities are being received very well.”
When it comes to amenities, the Bell offers a 24-hour gym, a lounge space and sundeck on the 15th floor, which includes a heated pool, hot tub and stunning view of the lake, and a co-working space on the 16th floor.
The sizable gym at the Bell Apartments.Megan Sims, cleveland.com
The 15th floor pool deck at the Bell Apartments.Megan Sims, cleveland.com
Pollack added that the pool deck had some of the best views in the area.
“We toured all the downtown properties and there are some great ones, but our gym and our pool is one of the top in Cleveland,” he said.
There are 18 storage units on the residential floors and garage parking in the basement.
The apartment complex is also pet-friendly, providing an indoor area with bathing facilities and an outdoor area.
When it comes to security, the Bell residents will have a 24-hour guard in the lobby, security cameras and the use of the Butterfly access control systems to access shared and private spaces throughout the building.
Former Bell building owners SomeraRoad of New York sold the 16-story-building to Texas-based developers Ike Bams, John Williams and Kenny Wolfe for $21.5 million in 2022.
SomeraRoad paid $36 million for the property in 2016. It was once the headquarters for Ohio Bell Telephone Co. (now known as AT&T Ohio). It has sat vacant since October 2019, when AT&T moved out.
The Ohio Development Department awarded the $102 million renovation project a $5 million tax credit as part of its Historic Preservation Tax Credits program. The project received a $15 million federal historic tax credit.
Prices for the units range from $1,192-$1,700 for one-bedrooms and $1800-$2800 for two-bedrooms. In lieu of a security deposit, there is a $500 admin fee.
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